WVSports.com continues with our popular feature: The 3-2-1. We'll break down three things we learned that week, two questions we have and give one prediction.
Here is the next installment of the 3-2-1 looking at the West Virginia football program, the latest on basketball and what’s happening in recruiting.
3 things I learned:
1–Transfer portal keeps raging. West Virginia still has a lot of ground to make up when it comes to what the final roster is going to look like for next season but the process of addressing that is underway with transfer visitors making their way to Morgantown.
That has also led to some new commitments.
Former Texas A&M quarterback Jaylen Henderson was one of those. Henderson spent time with both the Aggies and Fresno State. He has appeared in 10 games in his career but has the skill set that fits what West Virginia wants to do with his dual-threat ability.
The California native had his most productive campaign in 2023 where he completed 53-78 passes for 715 yards with 6 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He also rushed for 104 yards and 2 scores while appearing in five games.
Youngstown State wide receiver Cyrus Traugh also announced his decision to commit to the Mountaineers. The former Parkersburg South product spent two seasons with the Penguins where he redshirted in the first after just two games and then broke out this past year earning FCS Freshman all-American honors with 36 catches for 409 yards and 5 touchdowns. He took an official visit Jan. 3 and after mulling things over for a few days elected to pick the Mountaineers. He has three years remaining in his career.
Catawba College running back LJ Turner was another who committed Sunday. Turner, 5-foot-9, 195-pounds, spent three seasons at Catawba where he rushed for 1,961 yards and 20 touchdowns. But he's coming off a standout season where he accounted for 1,224 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging a total of 7.0 per carry earning him the first outright all-American honors at running back in school history.
Turner is an experienced running back that will provide experienced depth in his final year at the college level in the running back room.
North Carolina linebacker transfer Ashton Woods capped of the list of commitments after he spent just one year in Chapel Hill after enrolling early. The 2024 four-star prospect had a long list of scholarship offers to his credit out of high school and had a fantastic senior season where he racked up allied 151 tackles, eight sacks, 20 tackles for loss, two interceptions and two forced fumbles in Georgia.
Woods has at least three years left and is exactly the type of skilled, high-upside addition that the program has had success with from the power four ranks.
The Mountaineers have played host to a number of others including UT Chattanooga safety Jordan Walker and perhaps even some that slipped under the radar.
There is expected to be many more as well with Clemson wide receiver Troy Stellato, Louisiana Lafayette running back Dre'lyn Washington, Sam Houston State defensive lineman Chris Murray, Eastern Michigan linebacker James Djonkam, Northern Illinois wide receiver Cam Thompson and Georgia Southern defensive back Marc Stampley just a few that have indicated the plan to be on campus in order to see the program.
The Mountaineers have some pressing needs at a number of positions so getting these players to campus is critical if they want to be enrolled by the time the mid-term rolls around. The coaching staff is in pursuit of some talented options that will fill needs as well as increase the overall talent level on the roster.
West Virginia already had added some transfers to the mix but that number is going to increase even further in the coming days and weeks.
